Use of the emergency department by Somali immigrants and refugees

Staff at a hospital emergency department (ED) located in an urban neighborhood densely populated by Somali immigrants and refugees have observed that a large number of Somali patients use the ED for care that is normally provided in a clinic setting. This article reports on the Somali population's use of the ED for such care. It also explores Somali traditions and culture in order to shed light on this population's health care practices and attitudes toward the medical system in this country, and it makes recommendations consistent with those findings for more effectively meeting the health needs of Somalis.